Waiting
by moodiful819
Summary: It was a game of patience. Wait too little and things might turn out wrong. Wait too long and it will have slipped past your fingertips, but wait just right and something amazing will happen. ShikaIno.


This is my first ShikaIno item. Though I am generally a ShikaTem fan, I still like this pairing. It's a mix of these two fics I read, one using second person and another using this pairing. It's an impulsive fic and I don't think I'll do anything like this ever again, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto.

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You see him walking. He's going in a direction opposite yours and you give him a quick 'hi.' He responds with a nod and invites you to talk for a while, but you decline. You say 'I'm too busy' and 'Not right now' before you leave, not noticing the small deflated look on his face as you leave.

It's another day and another day means another chance. He says 'hi' and asks if you want to sit a while. You say that you have to help your friend pick out her wedding dress. 'Forehead girl only goes through her first wedding once, you know,' you sing, dancing happily through the streets as he shoves his hands in his pockets and begins walking away in a mood more somber than before.

Another day. You're at the wedding, the joyous union of your pink-haired friend and her silver-haired teacher. You wonder how your friend first fell for the pervert and how two people with such strange hair colorings ended up together before laughing at the picture your mind gives of the child. As more people filter onto the dance floor, he asks you to dance, but you see that Sasuke is giving you the eye and instead, choose to dance with him. You do not see him frown or notice he is gone once he's left.

Another day and the birds are twittering happily now. He says 'hi' to you once more and asks if you want to grab a bite to eat. You say that you can't eat now because you have to help Hinata get her man. He sees you're impassioned about this, already lost in dreams of silver-eyed blond-haired children and as you leave, he sighs, but you're already too far gone.

Another day and you see him on the street. He greets you and asks if you have a chance to stop and talk. You say you have to help Neji pick out a ring for Tenten's engagement and for him not to tell. "Another time," you say waving to Neji who is waiting impatiently and anxiously for your help. As you leave, you catch his sigh, but wave it off as your imagination.

Another day and you see him on the street. You're abuzz with news. Sakura is pregnant. You see him, wave to him wildly through the crowd and he sees you and smiles and you smile back, but then you see his attention drift. It's that girl from Suna. You say you have important news, but he asks for another time as his eyes begin drifting back to the other blonde. You say 'sure,' watching him stunned as he is swallowed up by the crowd and hidden from your view.

It's another day and you see him on the street. You wave, but he doesn't notice and by the time you say his name hesitantly, he is too far gone for him to hear it.

Another day, another chance, but you've had so many already. In the grey lights of the hospital, you see that people are anxiously waiting for news. Tenten bites her lips in worry as Neji holds her hand to calm her, Hinata waits in the strong embrace of Naruto, and Sasuke waits patiently by the door. It opens and the father is ecstatic. "It's a girl!" he cries, tears of joy coming down his face as he tears away the stifling masks. "It's a girl!" You've never seen the man so happy and the hall is suddenly full of congratulations as they all clamber inside, except for you and him. He moves towards the door, but you pull him aside. The letter in your hand crumples in your grip. He does not look surprised.

"How could you?" you hiss and he looks down the hall. You grab him by the shirt. "You thought that you could just give me this letter and leave right after the baby was born? You didn't think I'd notice? Or that I'd care?!" He responds that you never did before and he steps past you. Stunned, you do not even realize he's gone until you hear the door close and you are left crying in the hallway alone.

Months pass, but you don't notice. The days have blended together ever since he left to join Temari in Suna. You've realized that you love him, but it is already too late. You've had your chance and passed it up. Now he's gone.

It's a rainy day when he mysteriously returns. It's the middle of the night and you angrily walk to the door wondering who the hell could be waking you up at two in the morning when you see him on your doorstep. His clothes are torn and he's soaked to the bone. He looks like he's been crying.

Out of your past, you invite him in and there he stays. When you ask what happens, he says he doesn't want to talk about it, but you ask around and find out some things. The details are not clear, but apparently she'd cheated on him. Though you would like to rub it in his face that you were right about her, you decide against it. He's been hurt enough already.

It is fall. The onset of winter is fast approaching and you can see it in the families walking the streets. The children are bundled up tightly and you laugh as your friend's child struggles to walk in her bulky clothing. The father gives a light-hearted laugh before scooping her up into his arms and holding his wife who is now pregnant once more. Out of fondness, you smile for them, amazed that Kakashi is so domestic and happy that they are happy and well, but you can't help the streak of jealousy that runs through you at their joy before you retreat the way you came.

It is winter, just a few days before Christmas. Today, you see him on your couch as you struggle with groceries. He is going on missions again and helps you with rent and you are glad to see him well again. He sees you and rolls his eyes, muttering his catchphrase 'troublesome,' before getting up to stop you from toppling onto the floor. He takes the bags and does the chore for you while you watch in stunned amazement before lying down on the couch that smells just like him and you sigh peaceably at the warmth that lingers there.

It is dark. Night had fallen and there the two of you sit, you in a blue sweater and black pants, him mirroring you except that his sweater is grey. You are sitting together, having just finished decorating a large tree that seems out of place with your apartment. Lying there, you look up when you feel him shift and you realize how close your faces are. Under his intense gaze, you blush.

"I love you," he says suddenly and when you fail to give a response, he prompts you with a nervous 'well?' Realizing he's talking to you, you panic in the sudden spotlight.

"I-I-I—this is so unexpected. Don't get me wrong, I love you too, but what do I do now? What do I do? What do I say? Is something expected of me? What's supposed to happen? Do we kiss? Do we hug? What do we—?"

And you find yourself cut off when he presses his lips to yours. When he pulls away, you are dazed, but you can still recognize that cocky smile that has become his and his alone in your mind. "You talk too much, Ino," he says and you pout. He gives you another kiss and your anger subdued, you lay down, resting your head on his chest with a small pout while you secretly smile.

You've been waiting for him to do that for a while.


End file.
